LOCAL players will be well represented as the national singles and pairs semi-finals in the men’s county championship events take centre stage at Devizes on Sunday.

Also on the programme are the U25 singles semis, two-wood singles quarters and semis, as well as the two delayed semi-finals in triples and fours from last month.

The reward for all the semi-final winners in the six championship events, besides a place in the men’s county final at the end of July, is the opportunity to represent Wiltshire in the Bowls England men’s national championships in mid-August at Royal Leamington Spa.

Royal Wootton Bassett players (four), Westlecot (four) and Highworth (two) feature in ten of the 12 ties due to be contested.

The quarter-finals in the men’s singles staged on Monday at Westlecot saw two players from Royal Wootton Bassett, Dave Godwin and Neil Smith, victorious.

Godwin was 9-2 down to fellow Bassett player Dave Snell at six ends but had drawn level 9-9 at 11 before racing away for a 21-12 win.

Smith was 4-2 down to Jamie Titcombe (Westlecot) at four ends, 7-5 down at nine, 11-10 down at 15 and 13-12 at 18 before pulling away to a 21-15 success on the 25th end.

Wayne Snook had a close battle with Westlecot’s Craig Hatherall before winning 21-15 with a three and two on the last two ends.

Godwin now faces England international Graham Shadwell in the singles semi-finals, while Smith meets Snook in the other semi.

The last 16 in the national pairs championships last Friday produced another shock at Westlecot, with holders Justin Davis and Ben Gadd from the Holt club crashing out, beaten by Highworth duo Shaun Hicks and James Richman 24-16.

  • BATTLING Wiltshire men came extremely close but were just pipped at the post in their bid to win their west group in the Middleton Cup for the sixth year in a row and qualify for the quarter-finals of the inter-county championship again.

They duly won their last group game 125-100 away at Somerset, while rivals Warwickshire slipped up against bottom team Worcestershire 118-116, but Wiltshire lost out on top spot on shots difference to Warwickshire.

Wiltshire player/manager Dave Snell said: “What a tense affair at both Victoria Park and Welford.

“We knew we had to get a big win to give ourselves a chance of qualifying away at Somerset and although it was a close for half the game, we slowly but surely started to take control and by 15 ends had pulled into a 17-shot lead and after 18 ends we were still 16 shots ahead and were looking to win the game.

“Stephen Snell’s rink went into their last end all square and we needed those last two points unfortunately we lost that end by one shot and gained an 18-4 points win.

“I was really proud of my team picking up 39 points out of 44 points over the last two away games – a fantastic effort by everybody involved.

“The 18 points we picked up against Somerset was also another solid and gritty performance. Mel Bigg’s rink fought back from 10-2 down to win by eight shots, while Neil Smith’s rink picked up a six on the 19th end to gain a two shot win.

“Unfortunately Stephen Snell’s rink was six shots up at 15 ends but lost five of the last six ends to eventually lose by one shot.

“Another strong season for Wiltshire. Although we did not qualify for the quarters, there have been some impressive performances with also some new players coming into the side and playing well, so all still looks good for Wiltshire going forward into next season.”